A review by mpatronik
The Overstory by Richard Powers

slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

 I had mixed feelings about this book. I had such high expectations for it going in, which were mostly met. I loved the book's subject matter, Powers' beautifully descriptive writing about trees, and the general overall message. I struggled with the structure and length of the book - 500 pages was a challenge to get through, especially at the end, where I felt it dragged on and became a bit repetitive. I realize the book's sections (roots, trunk, crown, and seeds) were why the sections were structured the way they were but didn't love this. It took me a moment to get into it, as at first, I wasn't sure if the whole book would be short stories about individuals. I definitely had a fun "ah hah" moment when I realized the characters (most, but not all?) were becoming connected to each other.

My favorite part of the novel was Nick and Olivia living up on the tree platform and my favorite storyline was Patricia's. I was the least interested in Neelay, Ray, and Dorothy's storylines and struggled to find the connection for the majority of the novel.

Overall, I think this was a powerful book (that could have been just as effective 200 pages shorter) that made me want to immediately go to a forest/the redwoods.
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